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MY GRANDFATHER'S 



OLD COAT: 



iKOLITICAL ALLEGORY 



BY 

REISENDER. 



CINCINNATI : 

Robert Clarke & Co. Print. 

1873- 



In PREPARATION, and to he ISSUJED SOON^. 

9 

BETSY TRIGGS: 

AND 

MAGGIE FORD: 

Two Short Novels, of Thrilling and Intense Interest, 

BY 

W. E. HATHAWAY. 



THE ABOVE WILL be ISSUED TOGETHER, in ONE VOLUME. 



These Stories are both founded on very interesting and 
important phases in our social economy ; and illustrate in 
a telling manner some features of social tyranny — especially 
over unprotected children — not heretofore so clearly set 
forth, nor generally appreciated. 

Orders may be sent to 

G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, N. Y. 
ROBERT CLARKE & CO., Cincinnati. 
JANSEN, McCLUNG & CO., Chicago, 111. 



MY GRANDFATHER'S 



POLITICAL ALLEGORY 



' BY 

REISENDER. 



CINCINNATI : ' 
Robert Clarke & Co. Print. 
1S73. 






Entered, accordinsf to act of Congress, in the year i§73, by 

W. E. HATHAWAY, //<> >^<.<^^"' 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



My Grandfather's Old Coat. 



A POLITICAL ALLEGORY. 



My grandfiither was a man of many virtues. I am very proud of 
his memory. He was somewhat pecuhar, but nevertheless so full 
of goodness and love, that many people were very much attached 
to him. He had his enemies, however, and very bitter ones, too, 
some of them were. He was, as it is sometimes said, the soul of 
honor; and humanitarianism was strong in him. What wonder, 
then, that his nature was brought in conflict with man)^ who could 
stoop to any meanness ; and before whom another human being 
counts as nothing, if chancing to stand in their way 1 Against 
such, his anger was terrible ; but to the poor and needy, he was 
always gentle as a dove. 

I think I see him now, as I first remember him in the prime of 
his life. Of full form and commanding stature ; eyes that gleamed 
like lightning when he was aroused, or melted in tenderness when 
one appealed to him for protection. I remember an occasion 
which called out a full display of both sides of his nature. His 
farm joined to that of a very aristocratic gentleman, between 
whom and my grandfather there existed, for a long time, very 
peaceable and even friendly relations. They used frequently to 
meet at the line-fence and discuss their crops, cattle, the markets, 
and politics ; and sometimes met in each other's houses and 
talked of religion, law, and social progress. They were mem- 
bers of the same church, but attended two different meetings ; as 
one drove south to Knechtschaft and the other to the noith to 
Vorrecht. The services in these two churches of the same de- 
nomination, especially the pi'eaching, was quite diflercnt ; so 



MY grandfather's OLD COAT. 



marked, that neither my grandfather nor his neighbor would have 
attended the other church on any account. My grandfather was 
a working man, and did not hesitate to go into the field and assist 
his hired men in any of the operations which were carried on, on 
the form. His neighbor, on the contrary, whose name was Wuth- 
erick, considered it degrading for him to work ; and had man- 
aged to get a number of men and women into his power, whom 
he compelled to perform all his labor for him. Over these he 
sometimes condescended to watch while they were at their work ; 
and if they did not delve with sufficient vigor, or if they displeased 
him in any way — which often occurred, as he was very exact- 
ing — he would go off in a great rage and abuse them very shame- 
fully. More often, however, he left them to the care of an over- 
seer more disposed to be cruel than himself; and this wretch 
would lead his workmen and women — for he had women who 
worked in the field also — a very sad life indeed. Many of these 
poor creatures would have been glad to get away from the service 
of such a man ; but he held them by virtue of some very out- 
rageous laws, and they were forced to sta}' and endure all his abuse 
and cruelty the best way they could. If I was to write pages and 
pages, I could not begin to tell about all the bad things that Mr. 
Wutherich did ; and if I could, you would scarcel}' believe me, 
they were so very dreadful. And yet he was a member in good 
standing in the church where he attended ; and had man\' friends 
in the neighboidiood, who, because he was rich were glad to court 
his favor and shut their eyes to all his wicked ways. He was 
particularly noted for his hospitality, and gave excellent dinners, 
and invited everybody to come to his house and help eat his good 
things and drink his wine, which, as he never paid his workmen 
anything, was not so very wonderful after all. Many a man could 
aflbrd to be generous, if he could only employ other people's 
property with which to entertain his friends. My grandfather 
would never go to any of these entertainments, however ; or at least 
he very soon refused to do so. He may have gone once or twice, 
before he knew or thought how bad a man Mr. Wutherich was ; 



MY grandfather's OLD COAT. 



but after he began to realize how matters went, he said, " He had 
as soon turn cannibal at once, as to eat at his table ; for it amounted 
to nothing else than dining off the flesh and blood of his poor 
people." Still, as a great many people were not so conscientious, 
my grandfather's neighbor had no trouble in finding plenty who 
would partake of his fare ; and wonderfully jolly times they used 
to think the}' had of it. Sometimes my grandfather would expos- 
tulate witli them about the impropriety of keeping company with 
such a man ; but they generally laughed a little or replied : " Well 
now, Mr.Freiheit,you greatly misjudge ourneighbor, Mr.Wuther- 
ich. Really now, he is not so bad a fellow as you think." But my 
grandfather was not to be deceived by such language, and rightly 
concluded that these people cared more for good dinners and the 
approbation of Mr. Wutherich — mean as he was — because he was 
rich, than they cared for the truth, or for the good of the poor 
creatures who were constantly defrauded, in order to supply all 
the good things which they enjo\-ed. 

Sometimes my grandfather would stop in his work and look 
across the fields over into Mr. Wutherich's farm, where the poor 
people were at work ; and sometimes when he saw the overseer 
knock a poor fellow down or strike a woman with a heavy stick, 
as he often did, he would drop his hoe or rake, or whatever he 
had, and clutch his fist and grit his teeth and vow he would go over 
and thrash the fellow on the spot. But his prudence generally 
got the better of his passion by the time he reached the line-fence, 
and then he would walk sadly and slowly back, and resume his 
work, stopping occasionally to wipe something out of his eye in 
order to take another look across the fences. 

At last he became so burdened with the course of Mr. Wuth- 
erich, that he resolved to open his mind to him ; and accordingly 
he embraced the first opportunity when they were both near the 
line-fence to expostulate with him on the iniquity of his conduct. 
I expect my grandfather expressed himself in rather strong terms. 
That was his way when he felt deeply ; but you should have seen 
the passion into which Mr. W. flew at once, if you really want to 



MY grandfather's OLD COAT. 



know how contemptible he was ; and heard the shocking oaths 
he swore at my grandfather, and the threats with which he sought 
to intimidate him if he ever dared to say anything Hke that again. 
But instead of frightening my grandfather, he only woke him 
up, and he gave him back again as good as he sent, with a 
pretty thick mixture of good, strong, moral swearing like " by 
the Eternal," and such ; and let him know that he was his peer 
any day, and always was, and that he was not going to stand by 
any longer and see his abominable villainy, and not publicly pro- 
test against it. And, furthermore, he would take measures im- 
mediately to have his atrocious conduct investigated and stopped, 
and the men and women whom he had so long cheated and 
abused should have their rights as sure as there was a God in 
heaven ! And much more of the same sort. A few days after 
this, one of Mr. Wutherich's men, named Fluchtig, came over to 
my grandfather's, and besought him to take him in, as Mr. 

W had threatened to kill him, and, when he started to run, 

had set the dogs after him, and chased him with a gun, and shot 
at him, so that he was already half-scared to death. My grand- 
father never hesitated a moment, but opened the door to him ; 
and then he took down an old gun that hung on the wall, and 
says to Fluchtig, " Can you shoot.? " 

The poor fellow's teeth were chattering with fear but a moment 
before ; but my grandfather's manner braced him up a good deal, 
and he answered, " Ya — yes, I can try." 

"Well, then," said my grandHither, "take this, and if" — I 
guess we had better skip what he called him — " dares to touch you, 
blow his head oft', that's all ! " And then he cooll}' planted him- 
self in his doorway with another gun handy, but kept out of sight, 
and waited for Mr. Wutherich to appear. 

Pretty soon he rode up on horseback, and demanded to know 
if Fluchtig had been seen about my grandfather's premises, as he 
felt sure he had taken refuge there ; and if so, he wanted him 
immediately. 

My grandfather replied that he had been seen there, and that. 



MY GRANDFATHERS OLD COAT. 



moreover, he was at that moment inside the house, and if Mr. 

W wanted him very badly, he had better come in and take 

him. But, as he said this, there was a look on his face that was 
very disagreeable to Mr. Wutherich, and he ran his eye over my 
grandfather's stout limbs, as much as to say, "• I wonder if I 
could thrash him if I should try." If that is really what he 
thought, he seemed to decide in the negative ; for, after swearing 
a good deal, and threatening very much, and reasoning very 
little, he finally rode away in a great rage, and vowing no end of 
vengeance. 

Before he went, however, a large number of the neighbors 
had collected about the house, some of ^vhom sided evidently 
with my grandfather, but more with Mr. Wutherich ; and these 
encouraged him to take the fellow, telling him that they would 
stand bv him • and give old Freiheit fits. There was one 
man particularlv, by the name of Rauber, with a bald head, a 
squint eye, and a very brazen face, who distinguished himself 
on that occasion by much loud talking ; but who was an arrant 
coward, and took care not to say anything very definite. As 
soon as Mr. Wutherich rode awav, he came up to my grand- 
father, and protested admiration for his conduct, because then 
our friends were hooting after the rascal and calling him names, 
and the others were slinking away. 

You think I am a long while^ in getting to the point of my 
story, which is to be about my grandfather's coat ; but have a 
little patience, and you shall hear it all before I am done : and 
it has much to do with this same Rauber's subsequent conduct. 
My grandfather had despised this man, as he had been more 
willing than any one else to excuse Mr. Wiitherich's rascality and 
partake of his hospitalit}' ; but now his words were so apparently 
sincere, that he did not know but that the fellow had really seen 
a new light, and so took him by the hand in a frank and manly 
way. 

Among the other threats in which Mr. Wutherich indulged, he 
vowed he would burn my grandfather's house and barn, and de- 



8 MY grandfather's old coat. 



strov his fences, and kill his stock, and generally transform his 
fertile farm into a howling wilderness ; and utterly clean him 
out — bag and baggage, and all that he had — with an extraordi- 
narily complete thrashing to finish off with. 

If he had ever carried out all he said he would do, I am afraid 
I should not have been left to tell this tale ; and that he did not 
do it, is no fault of his, for I must do him the credit to say that 
he tried very hard to accomplish it all, and some people say that 
he very nearly succeeded. However that may be, we were 
awakened one fine morning by a great noise, and jumped out 
of bed to see what was the matter, only to find the devilish fel- 
low really trying to carry out his threats. We had not fully 
believed that he would be as bad as his word, and were wholly 
unprepared to resist him. But the way iny grandfather went 
for that villain then was refreshing, I can tell you. Mr. Wuther- 
ich had evidently tampered with some of my grandfather's hired 
men, and calculated very much on their assistance ; and some of 
them did throw down the fences and go over to Mr. Wutherich's 
side, carrying with them whatever the}' could conveniently take 
along ; but the most of them, to their lasting honor, stood stoutly 
by him, while a few evidently waited to see how the scrimmage 
was to terminate before they declared an open allegiance to 
either side. Immediately, almost, the neighbors began to collect, 
and many of them came fully prepared to give, at least, their 
moral support to Mr. Wutherich, as my grandfather was con- 
sidered a peculiar fellow, who could not somehow appreciate " a 
good thing," and it would be just as well to have him out of the 
way. 

But he displayed so much vigor in the very beginning of the 
fight, that these " policy fellows " began to shake their heads, and 
one by one they came and stood over on my grandfather's side. 
Not, indeed, doing much except a good deal of loud talking ; 
and when Mr. Wudierich began to get the worst of it very 
much, they thought it was almost too bad to whip the fellow so 
dreadfully. 



MY GRANDFATHERS OLD COAT. 



But, among them all, none were so contemptible as that man 
Rauber, who sat upon the line-fence, doing nothing and saving 
nothing, until it was perfectly clear to him that mv grandfather 
was sure to whip Wutherich out of his boots ; and then he 
climbed down and came around near the combatants, on my 
grandfather's side, and howled and tore around, so that if you 
had just come up, you would have thought that that was his ex- 
clusive aflair. It is hardly' necessary to enter into full particulars 
of that gallant fight ; but of course my grandfather won a signal 
victory. And it was a thing to be proud of, too, for Wutherich 
did fight like a hero, and, as I used to think, only as men can 
who contend for a good cause ; so that he proved a very worthy 
antagonist, and very nearly a match for my grandfather. 

But when he was compelled to surrender, he did it like a man, 
and acknowledged that my grandfather was the stronger, and 
perhaps, also, wiser and better ; and promised to give up a great 
many of his evil practices, and to quit abusing his poor people, 
and to pay them their wages regularly. On the whole, he began 
to behave himself with so much decency, and show so much 
manliness, that my grandfather quite forgot that he had just been 
giving him an awful drubbing, and reached out his hand to him, 
and said, " Now let us be friends again ;" and Wutherich took it 
cordiallv, and I really believe he respected my grandfather more 
that day than he had ever done before in his life. 

Well, now I come to the point of my story. Aly grandfather 
had, for several years, worn a very peculiar sort of coat, made of 
wool of the natural color, just as it came from the sheep's back ; 
for, he said, he knew where that came from, and that no unpaid 
labor had helped to make it. People often laughed at him for 
his peculiarity, and pointed at him as he passed along the street; 
and some bad boys had been set on by older people, who would 
have been ashamed to do it themselves, to throw mud on him. 
But he wore that coat as a "• testimony," he said, " against the 
pride and cruelty of the world ;" and of course wherever he went, 
that coat spoke as loud as any man could directly to the con- 



lO MY grandfather's OLD COAT. 



sciences of many wicked people, and that made them hate the 
very sight or name of it. This was particuhirly the case with 
Mr. Wutherich and all his friends ; but after my grandfather's 
victory over him and them, that coat became wonderfully popu- 
lar, and very many who had scofled at it before, made haste to 
get one just as near like it as they could. Many of them cut a 
queer figure, clad in such a new harness ; but they all pretended 
to like it very much, and seemed to imagine that to put on a coat 
like my grandfather's would make people believe that they were 
in all respects just like him. He was immensely popular now, 
and no mistake. 

Among all who did as I have described, no one made more 
display of it than this man Rauber ; and to have heard him talk, 
you would have supposed that it was principally he who whipped 
Wutherich, and compelled him to be a more respectable gentle- 
man. He was always talking about the fight, as if it was a great 
and sufficient virtue to have been in it and whipped Wutherich ; 
and that after having done that, it did not matter much what sort 
of a life a man led in this world, as he was sure of the respect of 
his fellow-citizens and eternal felicity hereafter for that one deed. 
To be sure, he did not have much part in the fight, but did he not 
wear my grandfather's coat, and had not my grandfather done 
the greatest and noblest things imaginable ; and was he not, 
all things considered, about the most wonderful man that had 
ever lived or could be born ? Of course he was, and ergo^ he — 
Rauber — for he wore his coat, was certainly entitled to honor and 
confidence. The amount of honor that that man heaped upon 
himself in consequence of his part in that atiair, and the self-con- 
ceit that he exhibited on account of wearing a bit of apparel 
similar to my grandfather, would have been sufficient to supply a 
state. It was perfectly ridiculous ! But the worst is yet to come. 
By constantly prating about the matter, Rauber did finally suc- 
ceed in making a good many people believe that he was a man 
of some merit. Let any fool persistently tell the world that he is 
wise, and he will be sure to find a multitude to accept his word ; 



MY GRANDFATHERS OLD COAT. II 

and let any rascal constantly assert that he is a pattern of mo- 
rality, and he shall not want ardent believers. And so it came 
about that he was chosen to fill a very responsible position in 
the neighborhood, and honored and trusted for my grandfather's 
sake, who was now becoming an old man, but who Aet was full 
of love and truth, and would have scorned to do a mean or dis- 
graceful act. Others among those who had likewise donned the 
peculiar coat, pressed forward into public notice ; and my grand- 
father began to feel very uneasy, with his honor, as it were, in 
the keeping of so many new and untried men. " These men," 
he said, "who wear my coat and profess my principles, where 
were they during the years of my patient endurance of the world's 
scoffs? Some of them, it is true, were alw^ays mv friends; but 
many of them, and the loudest mouthed among them, too, were 
either tacit or positive enemies to me." And then my grand- 
father Freiheit would shake his head gloomily, and heave a sigh 
that foreboded ill of these noisy professions. 

Subsequent and quickly developed circumstances proved that 
his uneasiness ^vas only too well founded. Rauber and his con- 
federates were soon discovered in many most contemptible and 
utterly disgraceful acts. They were thieves; they were liars; 
they were perjurers ; and they cared no more for the interests of 
all the good and honest people, than Wutherich had cared for the 
lives and souls of his poor people in the years tliat were past, and 
we could easier recount all of that bad man's misconduct than tell 
of all the mischief which they did. 

But when accused of it, they pointed to the coat they wore, 
well knowing that it w\as the symbol of purit}^ and truth ; and 
tried to drown the voice of their accusers by shouting out the vir- 
tues of Freiheit, and how he had once whipped Wutherich, and 
done so much good, and made so many people happy. 

This kind of talk deceived a great many people, who could not 
and would not believe that these men who wore that coat and 
made so much of Freiheit's virtues were really as bad as others 
said they were ; and so they were allow^ed, for a long time, to go 



12 MY GRANDFATHERS OLD COAT. 

on undisturbed, and drew a great many good men into their bad 
ways, and corrupted every department of the pubhc service, until 
it seemed as if truth and justice was nowhere to be found. 

And still the people were blind to the truth, and really thought 
that in keeping these men in their places they were honoring 
Freiheit and maintaining his principles; while the truth was, 
Freiheit was weeping at home for shame and rage at those who 
wore his coat and pretended to represent him. At last when my 
grandfather could endure it no longer, he called us all about him, 
and said : 

"Aly children, you see this coat, which I have worn so long." 
He could hardly speak for his emotions, but went on : " I have 
loved that coat very much indeed. ,It is more to me than just 
simply a coat. It reminds me of my sorrow and joy — of my 
struggles and triumphs. I wore it when to wear it was consid- 
ered a disgrace ; and I have lived to see it more honored than any 
other coat ever was before." The old man fairly hugged it to 
his heart, but then said : " But I have come to feel that I must 
put it out of my sight ; yes, more than that, I will burn it up, for 
after all it is only a coat and I can get another : for men have 
dishonored it, and to-day it hides more shame and wrong, I fear, 
than it has ever sheltered good. I will no longer cherish or allow 
myself to love an object which has come to mean something so 
contrary to my name and nature ; so hateful to all good men and 
so forgetful of God." 

And then with trembling hand but sure purpose, he cast it into 
the fire. I involuntarily sprang to rescue it, but he caught me 
and held me back, saying: "Nay, my son, it is better so. I 
know you loved it too, and I was glad once that you were not 
ashamed of it or of me, when all men reviled it ; but if you still 
love what once it stood for, as I think you do, you will let it 
burn." 

I could not, if I would, describe the heaviness of heart v^'ith 
which I saw its woolly fibers kink and consume in the flame ; but 



MY GRANDFATHERS OLD COAT. 13 

I comforted myself with mv grandfather's words, that it was "only 
a coat after all." 

My grandfather got a new coat, and this time he liad it colored 
red ; " for," said he, " there w ill come a very hot fire into the midst 
of these fellows before we have done with them, and, God willing, 
I will start such a blaze as will burn both them and all the coats 
on their backs, to the blackest cinders." 

Well, do you think that Rauber and those fellows changed their 
coats at once? If you do, you are mistaken. The time had not 
come yet. They said to themselves, "The most of the people 
have entirely forgotten Freiheit by this time ; or if they have not 
entirely forgotten him, they have forgotten, if they ever knew, 
what kind of a man he real!}- is." And so they went blindly on 
in their own way, and I must confess that what they said seemed 
to be almost literally true. The red coat attracted some atten- 
tion, and the people laughed a good deal at it ; and the news- 
papers made sport of it, and called old Freiheit a fool, and only 
a few sympathized with him, and no one came out in exactly the 
same color. Once a few men declared together that they would 
adopt Freiheit's color, and called a great meeting at which every 
man was to be dressed in red : but instead of that the}' came in 
every shade of brown and black, and even a few of the regular 
old wool, which thev drew over the people's eyes until every- 
body was cither blind or mad ; and they all went home again 
feeling that they had made fools of themselves. Then the wearers 
of the old coat were more jubilant than ever, and felt sure that 
the wool could always be drawn over the people's eyes ; and went 
on with their shameless conduct, more bold than ever : at which 
my grandfather was so much distressed, that he took to his bed 
and his life was felt to be in great danger. He lingered along, 
however, some months after that, a weak and doubtful existence ; 
only sometimes he would rally a little and then sink almost away, 
and we would think he was really gone. 

Day and night we watched with him, and never left his side for 
a moment ; and it seemed as if nothing but our constant attentions 



14 



MY GRANDFATHERS OLD COAT. 



kept him alive at all. We scarce dared to take our eyes off from 
him, lest while we turned away he should breathe his last. But 
one night there was a great illumination and fire-works, and a 
great procession, and cannons fired, and men hurrahing — the 
Lord only knows at what — and we all ran to the window to look 
out. 

Well, there was Rauber, seated on a splendid horse gaily 
adorned with ribbons, and bands of music and companies of sol- 
diers ; and riding by his side, and following in his train, were 
Usurpator and Verrathes, leaders of those who clung to the old 
coat and hid all manner of villainy beneath its righteous color, 
and a host of their friends and followers, who seemed content to 
follow like a pack of fools or dogs, and walk in the mud through 
which their horses splashed, and shout themselves hoarse, or do 
any other absurd and servile thing for their pompous and shame- 
less masters. And standing at our gate was Wutherich, one 
among a few who looked upon this spectacle with shame written 
on his face, and speaking angry words about it, while Freiheit 
lay dying in his own home, and no one caring enough about him 
to stop this idle rush and still their noisy clamor that was speed- 
ing his death. 

But it was a great display — a long procession and a glittering 
pageant ; and when it was past, it was near morning. Then we 
hurried back to my grandfather's bedside, and were there stricken 
with unutterable remorse and sorrow, for my grandfather, my 
dear grandfather Freiheit was dead ! How we mourned for him 
in secret and sorrow, I need not tell ; but as soon as it was light, 
and while the weary paraders were straggling home, we went out 
and published the news, which ran like wildfire, and spread con- 
sternation everywhere. 

" Freiheit is dead ! Freiheit is dead ! " was uttered everywhere 
in subdued and frightened accents ; and all at once men knew 
that one who was great, and good, and precious bcN'ond price, 
had gone out from among them. 



MY grandfather's OLD COAT. 1 5 

With broken hearts and tearful eyes they crowded about our 
house to look upon him ; and old men told how fair he once was, 
how strong of limb and true of heart. 

Women wept over his remains ; and men who had sat on his 
lap in their childhood, rent the air with agonizing wails of sor- 
row at his departure. Young men and children, who scarce 
realized their loss, looked on in dumb wonder ; and, from afar off, 
Rauber and his associates conducted themselves for a little time 
with considerate prudence. 

" We must not press upon the people now," they said ; " but 
in a few days we will dazzle them again with a glittering show, 
and they will forget all about it. But Freiheit /s dead, and it is 
a jolly thing for us, too, that he is." And then they drank some 
wine, and smacked their lips with satisfaction, and settled them- 
selves in comfortable luxuriance to smoke the choicest and most 
expensive cigars, bought with the people's money ! They soon 
drove out in elegant carriages, drawn by noble horses — more 
noble than those they drew,i«— and bowed benignly to the people 
whose money paid the cost! They lived in stately mansions, 
and had hundreds of men at work to build greater still, while 
poor men toiled and children cried for food, to furnish all their 
splendor ! 

" Freiheit is dead ! " Again and again the few who realized 
if spoke the sad truth w ith broken-hearted wailing. " Wliat shall 
we do without Freiheit?" they said; and we answered only, 
" W'hat shall we do.?" for our hearts were heavy, and our spirits 
crushed with sorrow. What, indeed, shall we do? 



Christopher Crooked: 

A Christmas Story. 
BY W. E. HATHAWAY. 



A OWERFUL STORT FOR BOTH OLD AND TOUNG 

NEW EDITION. FOURTH THOUSAND. 

II.l.rSTRATE» WITH SIX ENGRAVINGS. PllICE 73 CEBTTS. 



READ WHA T THE PRESS SAT OF IT : 
" It is both touching and terrible." — Hearth and Home. 

The following is from the New York Indepe7ident : 

" Mr. Hathawaj's storj, ' Christopher Crooked,' is one of the stories that, 
having a moral, are yet readable. We do not fully agree with the 
writer as respects the physiological basis of his tale, but he has made an 
unusually interesting story upon it, and one we can heartily recommend." 

The author of the " Hoosier School-master," and "The End of the 
World," in a private letter to Mr. Hathaway, says : 

" Tour style is fluent, almost metrical ; your story unique^ curious, and in- 
teresting, EDWARD EGGLESTON." 

John G. Whittier to W. E. Hatkatvay. 

Amesbury, 12 Mo. i2th, 1872. 
" W. E. Hathaway — Dear Friend: I have looked over the sheets of 
th}' little book, the moral of which strikes me as calculated to do good. 
The great domestic tragedy of intemperance, enacting daily in thousands 
of homes, can scarcely be exaggerated. A physiological horror like that 
of ' Crooked Christy' occurred within my remembrance in a neighboring 
village. I am, very truly, thy friend, 

"JOHN G. WHITTIER." 

The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's paper. The Christian Union, no- 
tices the book as follows : 

"G. P. Putnam & Sons, New York, publish a new story by W. E. Hath- 
away, entitled ' Christopher Crooked.' It is a tale turning on the fall and 
restoration of a young man who began a downward career from his first 
wine-cup, pressed upon him at his wedding by his father. The first fruit 
of this union with Flora Bowen is what is called a ' marked ' child, having 
been born to the staggering gait and leering glance of a drunkard, which 
marked him as if the\- had been the results of personal vice, though no 
drop of liquor had ever passed his lips. The mother suffers, as may be imag- 
ined, until her husband reforms, and then a crusty old uncle, like those of 
which Dickens was so prolific — whose previous ' cussedness ' would shame 
Satan, but who turn instantaneously into first-class angels when 
wanted — stands ready to feed and clothe them with the best, and furnish 
them with houses and lands into the bargain. 

" The story is a sprightly one, with an unexceptionable moral. Its orig- 
inal feature is the character of the unfortunate boy. It is written in a 
very attractive style, simple, clear, and forcible." 



The Cincinnati Daily Times says : 

"'Christopher Crooked' is the title of a very pretty little Christmas 
story, written by W. E. Hathaway, of this city. The story combines an 
entertaining sketch with a rather startling picture of domestic life, in a 
field comparatively new to the American public. That the story will prove 
popular, we have no doubt; for it is written in a semi-humorous vein, not- 
withstanding it treats of one of the most melancholy phases of life in great 
cities " * * * 

"We have been highly entertained in the perusal of this finely written 
tale. The author is VV. E. Hathaway, of Cincinnati. The characters are 
described with much of the pathos and poetic fervor of Dickens. There 
is a strong warning in this book for intemperate fathers; there is a lesson 
told so well that it ought to touch even the dullest sensibility." — Prohibi- 
tion Era. 

"As a nation, we have scarcely yet learned the art of telling Christmas 
stories; but, although 'Christopher Crooked' is literally spun upon amoral, 
it is not without its good points. It is a story in which the fall from afflu- 
ence and comfort to misery and want is told; but it is Christmas-tide, 
and, dating from a strong resolution formed one Christmas morning, all, 
and more than all, is reti ieved. The Christmas surprise-party, of a novel 
character, is pamted with some happy strokes." — Cificinnati Enquirer. 

"Among our recent 'Book Notices' will be found one of an excellent 
Christmas story, entitled ' Christopher Crooked,' by W. E. Hathaway. 
Of this book, \ve can speak in terms of high praise. We should like to 
see it thrilling and inspiring hundreds of thousands of boys and girls to 
temperate and virtuous habits." — W. C. Advocate 

" 'Christopher Crooked,' a genuine Christmas story, by W. E. Hath- 
away, of Cincinnati, whose style is terse, forcible, and even brilliant. He 
has here admirably traced the dreadful evils which flow from wine-drink- 
ing, in the case of a young man who first took the cup at his wedding — his 
gradual fall and utter brutality. Let those who do not believe in heredi- 
tary or physiological effects of intemperance read and ponder. Published 
by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York." — Temperance Advocate. 

" 'Christopher Crooked,' a Christmas story, by W. E. Hathaway, is a 
real little gem. Handsomely printed, and short enough to allow being 
read in a single evening, and if one but begins it he will certainly not lay 
it down until the last page has been read." — Connersville, Ind., Times. 

PRICE, 75 CENTS. 

Sent by mail, postage-paid, on receipt of price, by 

ROBERT CLARKE & CO., 

Cincinnati, O. 

Also for Sale by G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, A'exv Tork; 

J ANSON, McCLUNG & CO., Chicago, 

And by Booksellers generally . 

LIBimAL VISCOUNT TO THE TRADE. 



See Press J^otices on preceding page. 

CHRISTOPHER CROOKED 



A CHKISTMAS STORV. 



W. E. HATHAWAY. 




CHRISTOPHER CROOKED. 



A Powerful Story for both Old and Young. 

New Edition, Fourth Tliousaiid. lilustratrd with Six Engravings, 
PRICK 75 CENTS. 



A 



Sent by mail, postage paid, on receipt of price, by 

E-OBEIRT CLJ^I^K:E & CO.. 

riNCINNATI, O, 

Also for sale by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York; Jansen, McClung 
& Co., Chicago, and by Booksellers generally. 

8^°- I.IBERAI. DISCOUNT TO THE TRADE, -"^g 



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